The Massive World OfGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas Now Fits In Your iPhone

The first time I played Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was over ten years ago, and if you told me that one day, I would be able to play this massive 70+ hour open-ended carnage simulator, not on a bulky console, but a device thinner than a pack of cards I could fit into my pocket, I would have told you you were mad. Yet here we are, as Rockstar Games has released San Andreas to the iOS App Store.

The biggest and boldest of Rockstar’s PlayStation 2-era games, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas puts you in the role of a young gangbanger as he tries to work his way up the criminal ladder to claim his empire. It takes place in a massive fictionalized version of California, and is probably the most RPG-like of the Grand Theft Auto games. Personally, I think it’s the best in the series (although Vice City, which was released on iOS last year, has my favorite setting).

Remastered with improved high-res graphics, new lighting and improved character models, San Andreas will run on anything from an iPhone 4s, and iPad 2 or up, although if you have an iPhone 5, an iPad 4 or better, you get improved dynamic shadows and real-time environmental reflections. Like the previous games, San Andreas features Cloud game saving, although not through iCloud, but through Rockstar’s new Social Club, which is the same backend driving multiplayer in Grand Theft Auto V.

As for controls, you can not only choose between three different control schemes, but even use a physical controller thanks to Made for iOS controller compatibility.

This is a fantastic game, and the best bang for your buck Grand Theft Auto has to offer. It can be downloaded from the App Store for $6.99.